Union of Judges: “People’s courts were created against us with the loyal attitude of the government”

The judges' union issued a statement about the strong public reaction to the first instance verdict in the deadly Mati fire case, accusing the government of creating people's courts against them, with its own tolerance and encouragement.

However, it is the government that bears objective responsibility, since it is the government that legislates the framework within which judges will be judged. The Union of Judges notes intolerance towards populism in relation to justice, emphasizing that “The transition from Lynch law to legal civilization was achieved at the cost of sacrifices in the name of freedom and human rights.” The statement says the following:

“The Union of Judges and Prosecutors expresses deep concern about the people’s courts, which have long been created in the country with the tolerant attitude of the state, and which are now accompanied by bullying of servants of justice and statements by political figures. Which, on the one hand, provoke extreme populism, and on the other, represent constitute interference in the work of the judicial system, such as (in the second case) yesterday's speeches by the Deputy Minister of Justice, in which he stated that the state prosecutor would appeal the decision of the court of first instance.

The prosecutor's exercise of the right of appeal depends entirely on his independent judicial discretion and the evaluation of evidence in accordance with that discretion, and not on the wishes of the executive branch. The Union of Judges and Prosecutors will immediately appeal to the European Union of Judges to condemn what is happening in our country against the institution of justice and its independence.

We call on all members of the judiciary and the prosecutor's office to continue to administer justice, guided by the voice of their conscience, the evidence contained in the case file, the constitution, laws passed by parliament, always respecting the person and rights of the accused, as required by international instruments.

In a rule-of-law state, justice is not administered under conditions of populism or mob rule. The legislation of the Greek state includes a system of rules of criminal law, operating in every prosperous state, which provides for the classification of criminal offenses into felonies and misdemeanors, the penalties provided for each of them, the rules of aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the conditions for deferring or mitigating punishment, as well as the fundamental principle application of the punishment most favorable to the accused, which is included as a principle in all international human rights instruments.

This legal culture, which operates today in every democratic and prosperous state governed by a constitution, was won through struggle and sacrifice for freedom and human rights.”

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